Skip to main content
Toggle User Menu

HHMI BioInteractive

  • Español
  • Search
  • Log In/Create Account
  • Classroom Resources
  • Planning Tools
  • Professional Development
  • About Us

Using Genetic Evidence to Identify Ivory Poaching Hotspots

Topic
  • Genetics
  • Bioinformatics
  • Environmental Science
  • Conservation
  • Science Practices
  • Graph Interpretation
Resource Type
  • Activities
  • Data Points
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Favorited By
12 Users
Share This
Description

This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study involving illegal elephant poaching. In this study, scientists used DNA profiling to determine where ivory seized from poachers had originated.

Each year, as many as 50,000 African elephants are killed for their ivory tusks. Scientists can identity elephant poaching hotspots by matching the genetic profiles of ivory seized from poachers to those of different elephant populations. The figure shows locations where elephants were likely to have been poached between 2006 and 2014. The “Educator Materials” document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The “Student Handout” includes a captioned figure and background information.

Student Learning Targets
  • Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure. 
  • Describe how genetic data can aid law enforcement and conservation efforts.
Details
Estimated Time
Within one 50-minute class period.
Key Terms

allele frequency, DNA fingerprinting, DNA profiling, elephant, genetic profile, map, poacher, tusk

Primary Literature

Wasser, S. K., L. Brown, C. Mailand, S. Mondol, W. Clark, C. Laurie, and B. S. Weir. “Genetic assignment of large seizures of elephant ivory reveals Africa’s major poaching hotspots.” Science 349, 6243 (2015): 84–87. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa2457. 

The article's underlying data are available from the Dryad Digital Repository. An annotated version of the article is also available from Science in the Classroom.

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level

The documents for this resource meet accessibility standards in accordance with the final rule for Section 508 of the National Rehabilitation Act.
Version History
Date Published 06.20.16
Date Updated 06.20.16
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-LS3-1, HS-LS4-1; SEP2, SEP4, SEP5

AP Biology (2019)

IST-1.P, ENE-4.B; SP1, SP4

IB Biology (2016)

3.5, C.1

AP Environmental Science (2013)

VII.C

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

3.3

Common Core (2010)

ELA.RST.9-12.7
Math.S-ID.3, Math.S-IC.1; MP2, MP5

Vision and Change (2009)

CC5; DP2, DP3

Materials
Educator Materials (PDF) 1 MB
Student Handout (PDF) 875 KB

Explore Related Content

Other Resources About Elephants
Showing of
Scientists at Work
The Great Elephant Census
Click & Learn
Survey Methods
Click & Learn
CSI Wildlife
A herd of elephants, none of which have tusks
Scientists at Work
Selection for Tuskless Elephants
Click & Learn
How Animals Use Sound to Communicate
Scientists at Work
Studying Elephant Communication
Lessons
Analyzing Data on Tuskless Elephants
A tuskless elephant.
Lessons
Developing an Explanation for Tuskless Elephants
Photo of an elephant
Interactive Videos
Interactive Case Study for Studying Elephant Communication
Photo of elephant without tusks
Phenomenal Images
Mystery of the Missing Tusks
Other Related Resources
Showing of
Data Points
Tracking Global Changes in Forest Cover
Click & Learn
CSI Wildlife
Data Points
Resistance to Coral Bleaching
Data Points
Snail Fronts and Salt Marsh Die-Offs
Data Points
Vertebrate Declines and the Sixth Mass Extinction
Data Points
White-Nose Syndrome in Bat Populations
Data Points
Pelvic Evolution in Sticklebacks
Animations
Coding Sequences in DNA
Card Activities
Biodiversity and Evolutionary Trees
Scientists at Work
Tracking Lion Recovery in Gorongosa National Park

HHMI BioInteractive

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Newsletter Signup
  • HHMI.org
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy